Customer Reviews

Lock and Key

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Ask twenty people to define "family," and you'll get twenty different definitions. Ruby's definition of family is about to change, and she's not quite sure what that means.

For years, Ruby and her mother moved from apartment to apartment. They lived in random places and cramped spaces above other people's garages. Finally, they find a little yellow house to rent. Ruby's mother, preferring to drown her sorrows in alcohol than deal with them head-on, made her daughter give her excuses to visitors, landlords, and bosses.

The older Ruby got, the more her mother depended on her - and on substances. Ruby became used to her mom disappearing for a few days now and then. When a week turned into two, then three, then a month, Ruby knew her mom wasn't coming back. She went to work and school and lived alone for months before her landlords realized what was going on.

With Ruby seven months away from her eighteenth birthday, child services stepped in. She is sent to live with her older sister, who hasn't seen her in ten years. Cora left for college and, according to their mother, never looked back. Now Cora has a successful career, a husband who is equally successful, and a gorgeous home, with a spunky little dog to boot. How can Ruby fit into this household, let alone into a new school that's posh and private? She's so sure that this could never be her home, her life, that she prepares to run away that very first night and go back to the little yellow house. Fate has other plans for her, and so does Nate, the boy next door.

Though Ruby consents to stay put for the time being, she keeps the key to the little yellow house on a chain around her neck. At first, the key is the only thing she permits to fall close to her heart, interpreting her sister's clipped responses as lack of interest. She is unsure how to take her perpetually upbeat brother-in-law, Jamie. How can this complete stranger welcome her with open arms?

Nate also reaches out to her. Whether she likes the attention or not, he means well. He's genuine, and she's not used to that. Carpooling with him to and from school gives her insight into this grinning, popular boy. There's more there than meets the eye. Though he's friendly, not flirtatious, she's hesitant to open up to him. She'd rather keep her heart under lock and key than risk getting hurt again.

Ruby is a strong girl, but she's not a saint. She has done plenty of things she's not proud of, and she has a stubborn streak a mile wide. She is determined to do things on her own and her refuses to let others assist her because she doesn't want to "owe" them anything.

Ruby's constantly tempted to leave, to make things easier for everyone, herself included. The easy way out is never as easy as it seems. It just leads her back to bad things, bad people. The road back to her sister's house is promising, but there are bumps along the way. Ruby's new school is far ahead of her previous school, and she struggles to keep up her grades. She has to write a report about "family" for class, and she doesn't know where to begin. Jamie tries to be helpful while Cora remains distant. Nate keeps reaching out, and Ruby repeatedly deflects his concern until she realizes that he may need some help too.

There are plenty of supporting characters in Ruby's new world. Roscoe, the dog, provides comic relief as well as unconditional love right from the start. Gervais, a kid who skipped multiple grades in school, rides in her carpool with Nate. There's Harriet, the high-strung jewelry designer with a mall kiosk who gets inspiration from an unexpected place, and Olivia, her talkative classmate who isn't afraid to tell it like it is. Nate's father seems pleasant and polished, but a scratch on that surface lets his true colors shine through. Ruby's old friends factor in as well, clashing loudly with her new life.

With Lock and Key, Sarah Dessen has created something extremely poignant - which is not to say that she hasn't before. All of Dessen's novels are extremely readable and enjoyable, and each is distinctive. The narrative of Lock and Key, which is told in first person from Ruby's point of view, infuses past events with the present day. Things that occurred a year ago, three months ago, or even earlier the same day are revealed when they relate to happenings in the current time frame. This storytelling method fits the feel of the story, allowing it to move forward as Ruby lives day by day but still clings to her past.

Ruby doesn't think of herself as lost, but she is - and she deserves to be found. Pick up Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen and give it a home on your bookshelf.

"And the rest is history," I said.

"Nah." He shook his head. "The rest is now."

To be totally honest- I wasn't very impressed by this book at all.
Which is sucky because I love S.D. and all her other books.
However, Lock and Key didn't do anything for me. It felt distant and disconnected.

The reasons:
Ruby was boring and bland. I personally (which is my right) found her to be one dimensional which was not my expectation at all considering S.D.'s past characters who I loved. She had little humor and just didn't have the Dessen magic I expected. Though I'm sure a lot of people can relate to Ruby. She wasn't that complex as some reviews are raving in my opinion. I thought she was stubborn and immature and the fall back of having a mom that was abusive and ducked out on her was a weak excuse for her behavior. If you want to read a book about an interesting victim of abuse, I wouldn't necessarily suggest this book because Ruby was too transparent.

The Lock&Key motif was too redundant. It's just not a strong enough theme in my opinion to have been played on so much.

The story moved too quickly and predictably. Not to say there is anything wrong with predictability, but in this case the actual story was not interesting enough for me to want to hang on and see the ending through. (I did though.) The friendships between Ruby and the other Jackson student didn't seem genuine or really as friendly as the story tried to say it was.

Jamie was annoyingly perfect to me. I mean there's nothing wrong with a family man, and I think some of the things he did for Ruby and Cora were really sweet and unique. It's just it felt corny, and forced. Perhaps it was because it was through Ruby's eyes but I felt Cora and Jamie's relationship could have been touched on more deeply and genuinely instead of the distant way Ruby showed it.

Nate was really interesting though, I really enjoyed him.
Cora was pretty cool too, though I didn't really like the end of the book.

Redeeming qualities:
Though I personally wanted more of this, I'm glad Dessen introduced other people who could be considered villains in this novel. It showed that even if you put space between you and your own demons doesn't mean that the bad in the world is gone.

Had some really sweet moments- I thought the pool hopping bit was hysterical. Gervais (sp) was really interesting too.

Anyways, I'm still a fan of Dessen but I personally feel this wasn't her best. Hopefully everyone will understand this is my opinion and not bash me for it.

It's been a quite a long time that I found myself sitting up until three in the morning, wanting desperately to finish a story. But that is exactly where I found myself the other night with LOCK AND KEY in my hands. I was so engrossed in Ruby and her story that I had to find out how it ended.

Ruby Cooper has always looked out for Number One. When Ruby was eight, her sister Cora left for university and never looked back. It was always Ruby and her mother, moving from one place to another. Her mother's excuse was to avoid creditors and landlords. Ruby slowly comes to find out that this is the version her mother wanted her to hear.

Early on in her senior year of high school, Ruby's mom does a runner. Leaving Ruby all alone in the rented yellow house, Ruby does what she can to survive. She will be eighteen in less than a year, and if she can hide the fact that she's alone until then, the authorities won't be able to touch her. But when the dryer fails at her rented house and the landlords notice a clothes line strung throughout the kitchen, Ruby's life is forever changed.

Custody of Ruby is given over to her older sister, Cora. Cora and her husband, Jamie, live in a wealthy community and live a life totally foreign to everything Ruby has ever known. Not trusting Cora and Jamie's intentions, Ruby plots an escape her first night in her new home. Making a break over the fence in the back yard, her escape is foiled by one rambunctious dog, Roscoe. Roscoe's barking brings a curious "Hello?" from the other side of the fence. Here she meets her next door neighbor, Nate. Nate's outlook on life is upbeat and infectious. But Ruby does everything she can to keep him at bay, as well.

Slowly, Ruby learns to adjust the new life she has been given, and develop friendships in the most unlikely places. Ruby has always kept on the fringes and avoided being indebted to anyone. But as she grows and evolves, she realizes that maybe others need her just as much as she needs them. With a class assignment to define "Family," Ruby understands that the word has many meanings, and most of them don't necessarily mean blood relations.

Sarah Dessen writes another amazing novel for young adults. LOCK AND KEY is wonderful, heartfelt story. All of the characters draw you in and make you feel like you are part of their lives. Jamie's naiveté is endearing. Cora's infertility struggles hit you in the heart. Olivia's tough girl exterior has cracks you get to see through. Harriett is just as harried as her name implies. And the perfect-seeming Nate has secrets all his own.

My only regret with this book is that I failed to move it to the top of my To Be Read pile as soon as it arrived for review. So if you have this one sitting around at home, make it the next one you read. And if you've picked it up at the book store, considering purchasing it, definitely do so the next time you are there. You won't regret it!

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

Dessen's latest novel retains much of what I've loved about her previous novels - a common setting, cameos by favorite characters, true-to-life dilemmas - but seems to have lost most of what made me fall in love with her work.

The novel opens as seventeen-year-old Ruby finds herself abandoned by her alcoholic mother in a little rented farmhouse. When she falls behind on the rent and utilities, her landlords out her, and she is sent to live with her long-absent sister, Cora, whose husband is the computer genius behind Lakeview's myspace-esque communication webpage. Ruby's new posh lifestyle requires much adjustment with the help of a colorful cast of characters - mysterious, handsome Nate; frantic, nervous Harriet; and bitter-yet-endearing Olivia. In the end, Ruby learns that while staying may be harder than running away, it reaps greater rewards.

Armed with this generic synopsis, I eagerly awaited this novel, but was sadly disappointed. What had first attracted me to Dessen's work was her divine ability to make her characters feel real. She has a skill lost to many contemporary YA writers in that her characters have never, in the past, felt irrelevant to or distant from the reader. While they all had their quirks, they were always wholly lovable and truly enjoyable.

This book's characters lack that realism. Ruby's turnabout seems abrupt and unrealistic. Harriet, who could have been a valuable asset to Ruby's development, is marginalized and only surfaces when needed to advance a stalling plot. Nate's predicament, while heart-rending, seems contrived and unnatural - designed specifically to help Ruby learn about life. In her previous novels, the lesson her heroines learn have always evolved naturally, and have never felt as forced as in this book.

Finally, Dessen is a master of the extended metaphor. Each of her books has a detail, a theme, or an object that carries through the story; an item to which the characters' lives is easily compared and which makes their problems seem accessible and understandable. In this novel, Dessen tries to achieve the same feat with Ruby's key. Unfortunately, the metaphor of the lock and key has been employed to the point of overuse, and its frequent appearance in this book makes it seem corny and unrealistic.

The silver lining to this book is Cora's struggle to become pregnant. Perhaps Dessen's own joy over being a new mom shines through in these scenes in a way that makes them believable, exciting, and emotional.

Overall, while I remain a tried and true fan of Dessen's YA work, I found myself closing this book disappointedly at its conclusion. While not every novel can have the sparkle, wit, and honesty of "The Truth About Forever" and "Just Listen," I expect more from one as accomplished as Dessen and hope that her future novels exceed this latest.

I would recommend this book to adolescent girls looking for a fun and meaningful read, but not before recommending all of her previous novels so that a reader can truly gauge the clarity and poignancy of Dessen's better works.

So I think every bibliophile has one or two authors that can do no wrong. Sarah Dessen is one of my two, and Lock & Key didn't disappoint. Ruby is a typical Dessen character. She thinks she can handle everything on her own. She doesn't need her mother. It's not like her Mom has ever been all that reliable anyway. She just needs to remain cool until she turns 18 and is legally an adult. Of course, Ruby doesn't count on the pipes bursting at the kitchen sink or the dryer breaking, forcing her to hang a clothesline in the kitchen where her nosy landlords, the Honeycutts, can see it. The Honeycutts turn her in and big sister Cora is suddenly back in her life after 10 years. A lot has changed for Cora in 10 years. She's graduated from college, is a public defender, and is married to a wealthy internet entrepreneur named Jamie. Ruby can't believe this is Cora's life, and she wants no part of it. But then she meets Nate, the friendly, dependable boy next door, and her brother-in-law is just so nice. Her new private school isn't as bad as she thought, and she even manages to find a job at the mall that she likes. Soon Ruby learns that it's nice to be needed, and it's okay for her to need someone every once in a while too. Now if only we could all be so wise at 17 and learn those most important life lessons. I think that's what I love about Dessen's characters. They're not perfect. They don't all wear designer clothes, have great popularity, have the best boyfriends or even the best grades, but they are certainly all smart. As teenagers they somehow manage to learn lessons that a lot of adults never comprehend, and by extension, all of Dessen's young readers learn the lessons too.

For additional reviews and reading suggestions, see my site.

Sarah Dessen has 8 books published, and as a true Dessen fan, I've read them all. I sort of separate her books into two categories, though. In one category, there's Keeping the Moon, This Lullaby, The Truth About Forever, and Just Listen. In the other one I place That Summer, Someone Like You, Dreamland, and Lock and Key. What's the difference between these two groups? I'll try to explain...

The first category I mentioned are the feel-good books. The protagonists are messed up in a certain way, certainly, but there is a spark of happiness and fun and really satisfyingly content endings where relationships and situations are tied up in a happily-ever-after knot. These books are kind of a break from reality, in a way, because who ever meets guys as wonderfully unique and vivid as Norman, Dexter, Wes, and Owen? I mean, I wish!

The second category, are the books where Dessen really explores dark places. And even though things end on good notes, the problem resolved... there's not the magical right-ness and the sparkly feeling. It's weird because in these books, the girl is usually with the guy in a relationship, like, mid-way in the book, and there's not the wonderful sealed-with-the-first-kiss ending. Instead, things get sour... Macon, Rogerson.

So GET LOCK AND KEY! Even if it's the darker category, it's still written by SARAH DESSEN. And that means it's awesome, just because she wrote it. But let me tell you right now. It's not The Truth About Forever. It is NOT Just Listen. It's the book that we read because it's by Sarah Dessen and we're fans so we read anything she writes... but we know the real reason we're fans in the first place is because of the happier books.

So some little bits of info as a closer...

Ruby is independant, wary, and determined. She's at her core a sweet person who, over time, has built up many walls.

Surprisingly big cameo by Rogerson... he's still scarier than Hades.

Actually, a WHOLE lot of cameos -- WAY more than in any other of her books. We see Mallory, mention of Owen and Annabel, Remy's mom, Denise and Charlotte, Kristy and Burt... and maybe even more I can't remember!

I've really of Sarah Dessen's book. And I've loved most of them, actually, I've loved all but two of them (That Summer and Someone Like You). While Lock and Key isn't going to fall into the favorite category (Just Listen and This Lullaby and The Truth About Forever) it will fall into the love category (Dreamland and Keeping the Moon).

Ever since I heard about SD coming out with a new book I was eagerly awaiting the release date. I devoured all of SD's book within a month and it had been awhile since then. While I can't say I was disappointed by Lock and key, I will say that the book was a bit of a let down.

The main reason I disliked the book was that I felt like SD was losing her touch. We've heard all of this before. The abused boyfriend (Rogerson is hit by his Dad in Dreamland), the distant mother (uh, take your pic), the new town/new friends motif (Keeping the Moon comes to mind). And while, yeah, these are typical things to write about, I felt that it was just too familiar because with SD's writing it's all intertwined. Rogerson has a fair sized part in the book, Kristy and Wes's brother show up, Annabel and Owen are both mentioned, Barbara Starr shows up.(Dreamland, The Truth About Forever, Just Listen, This Lullaby, respectively.) SD's books would make for a very short game of 6 degrees and while I'm not saying all their plot lines are original, I think that it's important to keep every different in order to, well differentiate the books.

While I thought with the story lines SD was losing her touch, she still shines through with being able to weave multiple story lines together. Not a lot of authors manage the many subplots of life and hit it on target. I wish the story line with Ruby's dad had been closed up, rather than the story line with her mother. To me, it should have ended with her running away. For me, that was enough. But, I felt like her Dad might have actually wanted a relationship with her or some sort.

Ultimately, I liked the book, I just wish it hadn't felt so familiar.

I've always loved Sarah Dessen books. I'm a teenager myself, and I've always felt that she knew exactly what she was talking about. With Lock and Key, however, it felt like something was missing. Maybe the book lacked the satisfying climax and resolution that most of her other books did, maybe it just felt like Ruby's problems with her mother were resolved a little too quickly. Or maybe it was that the relationship between Nate and Ruby was never really...fleshed-out. Either way, it's a nice book to read, but I would probably wait for the paperback.

What is family? That is the question posed to seventeen year old Ruby Cooper on her first day at the exclusive Perkins Day School. Sent to live with her estranged older sister and her husband after it is discovered her mother disappeared two months earlier, Ruby's life is turned upside down. Ruby has lived an almost transient lifestyle with her mother, believing that her older sister, Cora, abandoned her without a second glance ten years earlier. Now that she has been reunited with Cora, Ruby is forced to face some truths about their past and their biological family. Along the way, she also learns that a person can have many families over time.

At the heart of nearly every Sarah Dessen novel is the story of a girl and a boy, and in Lock and Key, that boy is Nate Cross. Nate is the next-door neighbor of Cora and her husband Jamie, and the night that Ruby moves in, Nate hides the fact that Ruby was trying to run away from Jamie. As the novel develops, so does the relationship between Nate and Ruby, though Dessen shares the emotional connection rather than the physical. And while Nate rescues Ruby a few times at the beginning of the novel, his life falls apart while hers begins to come together. In the end, it is Ruby and Cora who must rescue Nate.

It is not plot, but characters, that drive Dessen's novels. Her gift is in creating characters that the reader can identify with. This is certainly true of Ruby, who feels out of place in the perfect life her sister has created, and more at home in the large, anonymous crowds at her previous high school. Teens struggling to find their place in the world will relate to Ruby's desire to control even one aspect of her life. On the whole, I found this to be a satisfying, engaging read, with the quality Dessen fans have come to expect.

COnfessions of a Book-a-holic
[...]

(SPOILERS)BEFORE YOU READ...know SARAH DESSEN is my FAVORITE AUTHOR

Ruby has been living on her own since her mother abandoned her. She has been fending for herself, depending on no one in false hopes that maybe her mom would come back--unlike her sister. Something happens which has social services finding out her living situation so they send her off with her sister. (Hanging around her neck is a chain with a key to her old life in it). Ruby is forced to live with her sister and her sisters PERFECT husband Jamie.

Ruby figures as soon as she turns 18, shell leave them. Hating her sister for when she left her with her mom. She tries her best to not make friends or anything. Only, you know that doesn't sit well. So Ruby ends up caring for Jamie, and learning the truth about her mother, and her sisters departure. Even in the present that her sister and Jamie are trying to have a child, and having issues conceiving. She starts to like her new life, by admitting her old one was hell. After having some of the bonds from the past crushed.
Ruby slowly becomes close with Nate and Olivia. Nate who is having issues at home, and at the end of the book she finds herself helping him get away from his father, and start a new life just like she did.

Um, so this was what I had waited for all this time? This is nothing like the other Sarah Dessen books. I mean, I feel like I just read a whole lot of nothing. I really didn't care about Ruby at all! Nope. I mean I was expecting some heart clenching love story. I mean the book is entitled lock and key--I didn't think it was literal. It had its good points. But the whole plot and thing were just dragged out so horribly, I waned to stop reading.

I had to push my self to go forward with it. Nate and Ruby's relationship wasn't the best match up. Nothing like in the book This Lullaby. Nothing. Every character besides Ruby was just too perfect. And the little backstory with Nate--well just her luck to find someone who needs to get out of a situation, and she is the one that can help him do it. Seeing herself in him. I just don't know...it just didn't work for me.

I still love Sarah Dessen though. I'm just going to hold off on reading Along For the Ride, because Lock and Key was such a disappointment for me.